Now Murray's ready to join legends Moore and Botham

Andy Murray will climb into his VW
Polo car at mid-morning today and begin a journey unlike any other. By
tea-time, he could be a legend to be mentioned in hushed, respectful
tones like Bobby Moore or Ian Botham.

Twenty minutes after he leaves his
£5million Surrey mansion, Murray will join his coach Ivan Lendl at
Wimbledon for his final briefing before entering Centre Court to play
Roger Federer.

Hopes of a nation: Andy Murray training at Wimbledon on Saturday, before the biggest day of his career

It is a tennis match that can define his life, like the World Cup did for Moore in 1966 or the 1981 Ashes did for Botham.

Together, Murray and Lendl believe they
can bridge the 76 years of history that has mocked every British male
tennis player since Fred Perry won the greatest tennis championship in
the world.

PERRY'S TOUGH LEGACY

However well Andy By Peter Higgs Murray plays in his first Wimbledon final today, he will hard-pressed to match the performance of the last British man to win the tournament.

When Fred Perry won in 1936, his 6-1, 6-1, 6-0 victory over Baron Gottfried von Cramm took less than 45 minutes, the quickest final of the 20th century.

In those days, Stockport-born Perry was the undisputed world No 1, the first man to achieve the career Grand Slam by the age of 26 and the winner of three successive Wimbledon singles titles. He had also been world table tennis champion.

Yet he was never feted in Britain, his shabby treatment largely down to the class-ridden snobbery of the time and Perry's attitude towards it.

He was a self-confessed rebel and an upstart in the eyes of the Establishment. When he turned professional in 1937, he was stripped off his LTA membership. He emigrated and took up American citizenship, later creating a highly successful sportswear line.

Across the country, almost a third of the population will abandon their lives for the afternoon to watch the most eagerly anticipated Wimbledon final in living history, which is expected to attract an audience of more than 20 million.

'Playing in the Wimbledon final in front of a home crowd is massive, a great position to be in,' said Murray.

Understandably, he does not wish to be dwarfed by the occasion or imagine the magnitude of fame that will accompany victory this afternoon. 'I can just go about my business as I have done and hopefully put in a good performance,' he said.

In public, Lendl is just as reticent
to reveal his emotions. In the six months he has worked with Murray, he
has steadfastly refused to acknowledge the gift Murray has for the game.
But his admiration is revealed through a chance meeting with an old
adversary, Mats Wilander, who said: 'When I see Lendl, he just shakes
his head and says, "I can't believe how talented Andy is, I can't
believe how good he is".'

Murray's talent is unquestioned, if
as yet unfulfilled. 'His arsenal is world-class,' said Andre Agassi, a
guest at the All England Club on the 20th anniversary of his Wimbledon
championship. 'But he has got to actually do it. He can absorb pace, he
can generate his own pace. He moves with the best of them. He has every
tool needed to get over the finish line. But the important thing is he
has got to be clear in his own head that's he's going to do it.

Murray's final practice: Just 24 hours before the big day

'When he hired Lendl I was relieved to know Murray still cares about going up that extra level and that he's prepared to take chances. I don't know Lendl as a coach but I know he didn't play the game one-dimensionally. But the mental thing will be big for Murray if he is going to win.'

Murray finally accepted at the end of last year that he needed a champion in his corner. He deserves commendation for already appearing in three major finals but he has yet to win a set after losing twice against Federer, at the US Open in New York and the Australian Open, and against Novak Djokovic, also in Melbourne. This afternoon we will see how the Lendl Factor percolates through his game.

Murray said: 'I needed to be a bit
more stable on the court, not be so emotional, and I've learned that
from being around Ivan. I am not expecting silence when Federer wins a
point. He deserves support wherever he goes because of what he has
achieved. I was not ready for the final I played against him at the US
Open (2008). I was too young and didn't have enough experience. The last
one in Australia (2010) I felt I was ready but he played better.'

Murray is a man who does not like to
be alone. His entourage is the largest on the circuit but the investment
in Lendl, fitness coach Jez Green, physiotherapist Andy Ireland and
hitting partner and close friend Dani Vallverdu is designed to fortify
him and increase his confidence. His work ethic is beyond reproach. His
professionalism a beacon to those in British tennis inspired by his
capacity this afternoon to try to conquer the summit.

Ready: Murray and coach Lendl

'Andy is a phenomenal role model,' said Leon Smith, head of British men's tennis, who coached Murray in his teenage years.

Like it or not, Murray is playing for the nation today. Each small triumph will attract a roar of approval, each mistake will be greeted with a collective groan; on the Centre Court and in homes across the land.

Murray is taking us to a land of hope and potential glory that no other tennis player has done since Perry.

Murray's game-plan will be to serve with the same intent as he has done through the majority of these championships. He is also playing with more aggression. His backhand slice is a weapon that can turn the tide mid-point on this court. But while the country places a burden of expectation on Murray, Federer will arrive on Centre Court without a care in the world. His triumph over world No 1 Djokovic was almost flawless.

Yet, in spite of a body of evidence that corroborates the argument to support Federer's quest for a seventh Wimbledon title, there is plenty to suggest that Murray is equipped to enter the gilded realm reserved for Bobby Moore and Ian Botham this afternoon. When he pulls out of his drive in VW Polo, Murray will be ready to respond to the siren call of history.